Jealousy
by banishthegloom
Summary: Peter punishes Shelby by making her write an essay about Juliette, which leads Shelby to an interesting realization. Just a quick one-shot.


Shelby Merrick was in group trying not to puke. If she had to listen to much more of Juliette she felt sure she would strangle her. _Why does Juliette have to be so annoying? So whiny? So…ugh, why do I even care?_ Shelby thought to herself. _Juliette's scrawny little problems to go with her scrawny little mind and her scrawny little body._ Shelby started up in her seat and the other Cliffhangers looked at her. She played it off by stretching exaggeratedly.

"How much long is this group Peter? It feels like we've been in here forever. The last 20 minutes has been nothing but Queenie's self-induced issues." Shelby complained. Peter frowned but realized that the group time had run over when he looked at the clock.

"Though rudely put Shelby, you're right about the time. It is time for lunch." Peter said dismissing him. "Shelby stay behind." Shelby groaned.

"Shelby, you know that wasn't nice to say about Juliette." Peter said after everyone left.

"Well you know how it is here Peter, share and share." Shelby replied sarcastically. "You wouldn't want me to bottle up my feelings would you?" Peter frowned and thought for a moment.

"Well Shelby you can get out all your feelings in a 5,000 word essay then." Peter stated.

"Peter –" Shelby started to say but was cut off.

"The subject is Juliette. Other than that I don't care too much about what you write as long as it isn't violating the rules of Horizon. I think writing 5,000 words on Juliette will help you to realize some things." Peter said.

"You have got to be kidding me. Queenie doesn't even have 5,000 words on her mind, how could I write that much about her?" Shelby asked.

"If you'd like to make it 10,000…" Peter threatened trailing off.

"Fine, 5,000 words on the princess." Shelby said unhappily.

"You have three days." Peter said walking off.

"Three…?" Shelby said stunned. How was she supposed to write 5,000 words on Juliette in three days? She had other classwork and stuff to do to. Shelby sighed and went to lunch. She sat at a table alone today and made a list of all the things about Juliette that annoyed her. She thought it would help to organize her thoughts for her paper. She almost choked on her potatoes when she came to a realization. She was jealous.

_No whoa. I'm not jealous._ She told herself right away, but the more she looked at her list and the more she wrote down about what bugged her about Juliette the more she realized she was. Sure Juliette was winy and annoying, but so was Ezra and Shelby usually just avoided working with him when possible. She didn't mess with him all the time like she did Juliette.

Shelby went through the rest of her day pondering this new realization. Whatever else, she sure wasn't writing that in her essay, but still it bothered her. After lights out she had trouble sleeping. _Okay, chances are I am not jealous, just have some strange delayed breakdown from everything._ Shelby reasoned. Grabbing a pen and some paper she went outside the cabin and sat on the steps. The lighting was good enough to see by.

_Okay if I was jealous of Juliette this would be why._ Shelby thought as she started writing.

Juliette:

*Causes her own problems.

_She's not like the rest of us who have real problems to deal with._

*Has probably never had anything really bad happen to her.

_Nothing Walt bad, that's for sure. Queenie would shatter into a million pieces._ Shelby thought before continuing.

*Juliette is such a weakling.

_Because she hasn't been forced to be strong._

*Juliette is … skinny. Perfect model size skinny.

_I may not be obsessive about looks but I am still female. I would love to be that skinny, but not by starving myself._

*Wastes food.

_When some of us had to go to extreme lengths to get enough not to starve she does it to herself._

*Is rich.

_I bet her family never has to scrape by at the end of the month, or in the middle._

Shelby sighed and read over what she had written. _Great, I really am jealous. How pathetic._ Shelby thought. _What am I going to do for the essay? There is no way I am putting that._

Without coming to a resolution, Shelby decided to get some sleep. The next morning she was awakened by Juliette's voice. _Does that girl ever stop talking?_ Shelby wondered as she covered her head with the pillow. Suddenly she pulled the pillow off and sat up.

"Hey Queenie. I need your opinion on something. It's real important so I think I'll take notes." Shelby said. Juliette was flattered. When Shelby handed Peter her essay he put it on his desk to read later.

It was only when he sat down a day later to read it that he realized it was titled "Juliette's View of the Coming Spring Fashion, an interview by Shelby Merrick". Peter sighed, then after a moment he laughed. Shelby had seemed to write down every word Juliette said. At least Shelby was paying attention to what Juliette said. Not exactly what he had hoped she would get out of the assignment, but good enough.


End file.
